[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 108 (Thursday, September 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  HONORING ANN BROWN AS THE LONGEST SERVING CHAIRMAN OF THE CONSUMER 
                       PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2000

  Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Ann Brown, the 
Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. She has served as 
Chairman for more than six and a half years, since March 10, 1994. She 
is by far the longest serving Chairman of the CPSC. The previous record 
was four years and three months.
  Chairman Brown has compiled an outstanding record at the CPSC. When 
she came to the Agency, she found it virtually moribund, the staff 
dispirited, and its vital safety mission fallen far from public view. 
Ann Brown has revitalized the Commission by inspiring its staff and 
gaining wide public recognition for its safety message through the 
publicity she has generated for the Agency in the national media.
  Chairman Brown has made the safety of children a personal priority. 
Through effective regulatory action, encouraging voluntary steps by 
companies, and creating unique public-private partnerships with 
industry and other governmental agencies, she has enhanced the safety 
of every child in America.
  Shortly after becoming Chairman, she learned that the strings and 
cords on children's jackets were becoming caught on playground slides 
and school bus doors and strangling children. She promptly convened a 
meeting of representatives of the clothing industry and persuaded them 
to replace the hazardous strings and cords with snaps and Velcro. When 
a Commission employee developed the idea of a baby safety shower to 
provide gifts that would make a child's first years of life safer, 
Chairman Brown created a partnership with the Gerber Corporation to 
promote these safety showers across the nation. Working with states and 
local governments, she launched an annual ``recall round-up'' to get 
dangerous consumer products out of consumers' homes. She developed a 
partnership with the US Postal Service to get posters of the ``most 
wanted'' dangerous recalled products displayed in post offices across 
the nation.
  In keeping with her commitment to the safety of children, Chairman 
Brown has given special emphasis to the prevention of Sudden Infant 
Death Syndrome. On her initiative, the Commission issued warnings to 
parents to remove soft bedding from the cribs of infants under 12 
months to avoid the risk of suffocation. This year, the Commission 
developed a program with seven major retailers of baby bedding products 
to inform parents on how to keep their babies safe in their beds.
  Under Ann Brown's leadership, the CPSC has been recognized for its 
innovative and effective programs. In 1998, CPSC won the prestigious 
Innovations in American Government Award for its Fast-track recall 
program. The award is given by the Ford Foundation, in cooperation with 
Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and the Council for Excellence 
in Government. Under Fast-track, CPSC gets defective products off store 
shelves more quickly, thereby reducing dangers to American consumers.
  Chairman Brown has also been personally recognized for her efforts in 
support of consumer safety. The National Safe Kids Campaign designated 
her a ``Champion of Safe Kids.'' The National Association of Government 
Communicators has given her its award as ``Government Communicator of 
the Year'' and on September 20 the American Academy of Pediatrics will 
present her with its prestigious Excellence in Public Service Award for 
her contributions to children's safety.
  Mr. Speaker, the nation is fortunate to have such outstanding public 
servants as Ann Brown. She has made the CPSC a model of effectiveness 
for other agencies to emulate. Accordingly, it is appropriate today 
that we recognize and highly commend Ann Brown as the longest serving 
Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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